SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1. 1994
SECTION B
Respect starts here
Two football teams are looking to regain respect. Last season the Jayhawks stalled in their climb, and tonight they face a determined Houston team.
The Kansas Jayhawks vs. the Houston Cougars. 7:20 tonight on KSMO 62, Sunflower Cablevision Channel 3.
Richard Devink/ KANSAN
Senior Keith Rogers and junior Eric Galbreath, linebackers, run drills during practice last week at Memorial Stadium. Kaizen will open the season against Houston, a team that ended last season with a 1-9,1 record.
'Hawks kick off in Astrodome
By Matt Irwin
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas football players have seen enough of each other laterly.
"We're tired of practicing against each other," Kansas coach Glen Mason said during the Big Eight coaches teleconference on Monday.
It's not that the team lacks unity, it's just that they haven't seen another football team since Nov. 20,1993, when they defeated Missouri 28-0 in Lawrence.
The Jayhawks will get their chance tonight when they face the Houston Cougars at 7:20 in the Astrodome.
The game will be televised live on KSMO 62, or Sunflower Cablevision, Channel 3, in Lawrence.
The Cougars, who were 1-9-1 last season, hope their inexperienced team can prevent Kansas from equaling its number of victories away from home last season — one.
Houston plans to start four defensive linemen, three linebackers and two defensive backs who have little game experience. Junior strong safety Gerome Williams, who has started 17 games in his career, and senior cornerback John Brown, who has started 12 games in his career, lead the Cougar's defense in experience.
"I think before it's over with, there's a chance that you may have all three linebacker positions being played by freshmen," Houston coach Kim Helton said.
Mason said he was impressed with Houston's young talent. However, he said not knowing their abilities made Houston a difficult team for which to prepare.
Unlike Houston, Mason does not have to worry about his team's experience. Injuries seem to be Mason's biggest worry.
"Coming through two-a-days, injuries are at a minimum."
Mason said. "But I still worry about our depth."
The Jayhawks will face a team that converted from a run-and-shoot offense during the 1992 season to a two-back, pro-style offense last season. Houston's offense is led by sophomore quarterback Chuck Clements.
The most experienced players offensively for the Cougars are their wide receivers. Seniors Ron Peters and Daniel Adams have two years of experience playing in the run-and-shoot system.
Entering their 105th year, the Jayhawks will again be led on offense by senior quarterback Ashei Preston. The Jayhawks will start sophomore June Henley at tailback.
The Cougars running game is led by potential All-Southwest Conference offensive tackles senior Billy Milner and junior Jimmy Herndon.
Mason would have had a tougher decision had he not moved senior George White to the wingback position.
"I guarantee all three will play." Mason said of his three talented running backs. "We'll just go with the hot hand."
The wingback position is similar to that of a running back that goes out for passes and is used in passing situations. The wingback position was permanently installed in the offense this season.
On defense, the Jayhawks could start as many as seven seniors.
Senior defensive ends Steve Harvey and Harold Harris played at the linebacker position last season.
Senior Sylvester Wright will move from defensive end to defensive tackle and Gerald McBurrows will move from cornerback to strong safety.
The Jayhawks' kicking game is the least-experienced part of the team.
Redshirt freshman Jeff McCord will placekick and junior Darrin Simmons will punt in their first Division I game ever.
Houston Cougars depth chart
OFFENSE
Pos No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr.
WR 10 RON PETERS 6-1 195 Jr.
    36 Larkay James 5-9 176 Jr.
LT 7 JIMMY HERNDON 6-8 280 Jr.
    67 Ronnie Price 6-4 253 So.
LG 5 JACK HANSEN 6-1 266 Sr.
    78 Mark Gray 6-5 252 Sr.
C 66 BEN FRICKE 6-2 275 Fr.
    52 Wayne Wheeler 6-2 275 Fr.
RG 63 STEVEN WILLIAMS 6-1 282 Jr.
    61 Kevin Carter 6-4 275 Fr.
RT 79 BILLY MILNER 6-8 205 Sr.
    70 Justin Hall 6-2 291 Fr.
TE 80 CHRIES HEROLD 6-2 230 Sr.
    82 Chann Chavis 6-1 198 Sr.
WR 2 DANIEL ADAMS 6-0 173 Sr.
    81 Joey Mouton 5-10 170 So.
QB 12 CHUCK CLEMENTS 6-3 184 So.
    7 Clay Helton 6-2 205 Sr.
HB 4 LAWRENCE MCHPERSON 5-10 205 Jr.
    34 Jermaine Williams 6-1 202 Jr.
FB 32 TOMMY GUY 5-1 216 Sr.
    30 Bobby Rodriguez 5-11 232 Jr.
SR 1 JULIAN PITRE 5-9 166 Sr.
    6 Charles West 6-0 180 So.
P 8 JASON STOFT 6-0 185 Sr.
PK 17 TRACE CRAFT 6-0 171 Sr.
DEFENSE
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr.
LE 89 OTIS GRANT 6-6 255 Jr.
    92 Marlon Foots 6-0 250 Jr.
LT 94 MIKE MEUX 6-1 271 Sr.
    75 Leonta Rhems 6-3 250 Fr.
RT 90 CARLOSCHESTER 6-2 245 Jr.
    62 Eric Harrison 6-0 276 Sr.
RE 41 JASON BROWN 6-6 225 So.
    93 Rusty Foster 6-3 235 Fr.
SLB 43 CHRISE JONES 6-3 215 Jr.
    49 Reggie Davis 6-3 225 Fr.
MLB 46 DEMON JAMES 6-0 224 Sr.
    44 Mike Parker 6-3 215 Fr.
WLB 55 CHAD SHAW 6-2 225 Fr.
    48 Keon Banks 5-11 164 Fr.
LC 22 JOHN BROWN 6-18 Sr.
    29 Edwin Sai 5-9 164 Fr.
SS 3 GEROME WILLIAMS 6-0 196 Jr.
    35 Michael Jones 6-0 180 Fr.
FS 16 DEDRIC MATHIS 5-10 181 Jr.
    5 Thomas McGaughey 6-1 206 Jr.
RC 27 ALFRED YOUNG 5-10 172 Sr.
    14 Del Montgomery 5-11 177 So.
MCHIPERSON 5-10 205 Jr.
KR 34 JERMAINE WILLIAMS 12-10 204 Jr.
Compiled by Kansas sports information.
Micah Laaker/KANSAN
Kansas junior outside hitter Jenny Larson blocks the ball against manager, Jason Yates. Kansas plays in the Colorado State Tournament tomorrow.
Jav Thornton / KANSAN
Junior is a killer on the volleyball court
By Chesley Dohl
Kansan sportswriter
New position, role is no problem for player
For the first time in her college career, Jenny Larson truly feels at home on the volleyball court.
"I'm back in the position I want to be, so now I just want to work on consistency," said Larson, junior outside hitter. "I feel confident where I am now. I have two years left, so I just want to concentrate on that one position."
Kansas coach Karen Schonewise had a big part in bringing Larson to Kansas. When Schonewise was an assistant coach at Kansas under Frankie Albiz, she recruited Larson.
Chonewise said that in the past two seasons, Larson proved her versatility as a player.
"Jenny never had a chance to settle in," she said. "Now she is playing with confidence."
As a freshman, Larson played the
left-side hitter position. In Larson's second semester, Albitz moved her to right-side hitter. Last year Larson had to learn yet another position at the middle blocker spot.
Larson began playing volleyball in the seventh grade. She went to a volleyball camp and got hooked on the sport.
"So this season I decided to put her on the right side and keep her there for the next couple years," Schonewise said. "She's an athlete with tremendous versatility. She's proven herself as a player."
"The coach approach me and told me I was doing a good job," she said. "I was encouraged to try out as a freshman for the (high school) team."
But that wasn't the only game Larson picked up. Larson was an allaround athlete at Millard North High School in Omaha, Neb.
"I played basketball, volleyball, softball and track." Larson said. "Up until high school, I didn't compete in volleyball, so basketball was my favorite sport early on."
After all-state high school her junior
Kansas and Nebraska were two of Larson's top college choices.
But by then, she had already made up her mind to play college volleyball.
and senior years, Larson was recruited by a number of colleges for both basketball and volleyball.
"With my size and everything, I decided it would work out better if I played volleyball," said Larson, who is 5-foot-9. "But basketball was a close second."
Larson is more excited about the Jayhawk program this year than ever before. The outlook for Kansas volleyball is good with Schonewise, she said.
Though Nebraska had a nationally-ranked volleyball program and a recognized coach in Terry Petit, a recruiting trip sold Larson on Kansas.
"I had never been here before, and I thought the campus was beautiful." Larson said. "It was the perfect campus setting. Plus, I really liked Coach Schonewise. She made a big difference in my final decision."
"I knew it had to be done for Kansas volleyball to go in a positive direction," Larson said of Schonewise's promotion to coach this year. "She's a person we all really respect, and we know where she's been and what she's been through. That's what you need to be respected as a coach."
In a scrimmage Saturday against Kansas alumni, Larson led the team with 14 kills.
Schonewihe said Larson was a player with strong movements and a talent to hit effectively from the right side.
"I like the kills," she said. "That's probably my favorite part of the game."
In addition to being a solid player, Larson will provide a much-needed leadership role on the volleyball court this season — even as a junior.
Kansas will start three freshmen tomorrow in the Colorado State Volleyball Tournament.
"We just keep reinforcing to the freshmen that they're doing a good job," Larson said. "They're all tremendous athletes, so they don't need a lot of extra attention, just reinforcement out on the court."
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